On the recordMay 17, 2012
I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of a motion to instruct the conferees on the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012 to insist on title II of that act, which contains revisions of the North American Energy Access Act, essentially calling for the completion of the Keystone XL pipeline. Mr. Speaker, in these times of increasing security threats and economic uncertainty, the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline represents a win-win for America's national security and economic interests. Not only will this project create thousands of much-needed jobs, but it will secure America's energy future by reducing our dependence on foreign oil. By working with our neighbors to the north on an effort that ramps up our domestic energy production, we'll better protect families here at home from the effects of energy market insecurity caused by political and economic troubles in other parts of the world. Estimates vary, but the most conservative estimates predict that this jobs project will create 13,000 new construction jobs and an additional 7,000 manufacturing jobs. But that's not all, Mr. Speaker. The Keystone XL pipeline, when operating at capacity, will be able to move 840,000 barrels of oil per day into our domestic refining capacity on the domestic production market. To put that in perspective, America imports about 8.4 million barrels per day.…
